The welcome-back festival for new and returning Philadelphia-area college students features community engagement through free museum admission, live music, food, recreation and art. College Day 2012 elements include live music provided by Radio 104.5; art for sale at the art village presented by InLiquid Art + Design; the Involvement Fair presented by Generocity; activities with the Professional Golfers’ Association; Philadelphia food trucks curated by Night Market Philadelphia, a project of The Food Trust; and participation from local and national organizations like IKEA, Comcast and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Join The Franklin Institute’s chief astronomer, Derrick Pitts, as he hosts a special evening of skygazing during “Open Air,” the large-scale interactive public art experience that is transforming the night sky above Philadelphia’s historic Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Pitts will direct the robotic searchlights currently performing the art experience to highlight salient stellar objects viewable from the Parkway.

The official fourth annual Oktoberfest Block Party will start at noon and end at 8 p.m. The 700 Block of South Street will be shut down for the festivities, which include roasting a pig and serving copious amounts of your favorite German beers. For the first time ever, Hofbraeuhaus Traunstein will be brewing an Oktoberfest Lager made especially for Brauhaus Schmitz.

“We’re so excited for this year’s Oktoberfest. Every year the event gets bigger, and we get better at hosting it. This year we are adding a new band (Heimat Klange), a VIP room, more bathrooms, more staff and an exclusively brewed Feistbier from Traunstein! It’s not the same as flying to Munich, but it’s still a fun day with lots of great food and beer,” owner Doug Hager and chef Jeremy Nolen, who are preparing for their biggest year to date, said.

Independence Seaport Museum, along with sponsor clubs The Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia, Liberty Sailing Association, and Riverton Yacht Club will host the 2012 Philadelphia Cup Regatta. More than a dozen clubs and over 100 boats are expected to compete in this daylong event. The races will kick off at 10 a.m. and take place roughly between the Betsy Ross and Walt Whitman bridges. Visitors to the Seaport Museum are invited to watch the races from the second-floor balcony of the museum. An award ceremony and reception for skippers and crew will be held at 5 p.m. at the Seaport Museum.